Elaiosome

• Title

  Elaiosome

• Definition

  A fleshy, oily outgrowth of the seed coat that is eaten by ants. In the process, the ants often disperse the seeds away from the mother plant.

• Notes

  Seeds with elaisomes are common in spring ephemerala, e.g., Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot), Dicentra cucullaria(Dutchman's breeches), and Stylophorum diphyllum (Celadine-poppy). See Gracie (2012)..

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